Hewlett-Packard Reviews, Ratings, and Pricing

Hewlett-Packard (NASDAQ: HPQ) is a global enterprise with nearly 325,000 employees. As of 2011, it was the number-one computer manufacturer in the world and also makes monitors, printers, and enterprise software. The company was founded in a Palo Alto garage in 1939 by Bill Hewlett and David Packard. HP’s first product was an audio oscillator, an electronic test instrument built for sound engineers. (Walt Disney, one of HP’s first customers, purchased eight of these instruments to develop and test a sound system for the movie Fantasia.)

Since then, HP has built its brand both on its innovative products and through its reputation as an inspiring company for which to work. “Dave’s 11 simple rules,” chronicling David Packard’s work philosophy, includes such rules as “Respect the other man’s personality rights,” “Eliminate the negative,” and “Develop genuine interest in people.”

The first HP computer was developed in 1966, and the company went on to develop calculators beginning in 1972, the first touch-screen PC in 1983, the HP LaserJet printer in 1984, and much more. The company has also played a major role in hardware recycling. Its headquarters are in Palo Alto, Calif.

Reviews: Hewlett-Packard Laptops

HP's refresh of its ZBook 14 brings Intel's "Broadwell" into the equation, but only in dual-core form. Overall, it's a capable mobile workstation in ultrabook guise, though it's not cheap even after a 30 percent discount.

Reviews: Hewlett-Packard Desktops

Though it looks more like a streaming box than a desktop, the HP Pavilion Mini offers more full-fledged PC goodness than you'll get from a Roku or Chromebox. But as with all things, the added functionality comes at a price.

The HP Z230 SFF is an appealing entry-level workstation that fits almost anywhere and runs almost any app. PC buyers will suffer the usual workstation sticker shock, but this is a fine system for work alongside big rigs.

The HP ProOne 600 G1 All-in-One offers excellent security features and a 3-year on-site warranty, but its clunky design, middling components, and steep price keep it from being an appealing business PC.

A low-cost Android all-in-one PC with a big screen, the Slate 21 is a pioneer, but too many of its design and component choices miss the mark. Cash-strapped households may find it workable as an Internet and media-consumption appliance, but little more.

For a reasonable price, this Officejet multifunction inkjet prints great-looking pages and photos up to a whopping 13x19 inches. Just know its main shortcomings: a single paper drawer, and so-so print speeds.

This low-cost color laser AIO has excellent print quality, as well as a touch-screen interface, a built-in document feeder, and Wi-Fi. It’s best suited for light duty, due to its per-page costs and modest print speeds.

HP's latest business tablet is a versatility virtuoso if you opt for the port-expanding and keyboard-adding accessories. But it suffers the same limitations as other Atom-powered slates. And its keyboard dock doesn't feel like it's built for business.

The HP Media Vault mv2120 network-attached-storage device has a number of very useful features including superb backup functionality. But we experienced several small issues and one big security problem that made our time with the Media Vault a mixture of fun and frustration.

The MediaSmart Server makes managing, sharing, and backing up content and computers a simple process. While it isn't ready for prime time due to some software-related issues with Microsoft's Windows Home Server OS, it's an invaluable tool, despite the cost. Look for our follow-up review when the server hits store shelves.

Reviews: Hewlett-Packard GPS

The HP iPAQ 310 Travel Companion comes with a nice screen and loads of features, but with all its drawbacks—particularly the unreliable route calculation—we're not sure you'll want to take it behind the wheel.